So I'm looking at getting a thinkpad (t430), it's my first. (Glee-filled squeal) and I noticed something particular. Lenovo charges $40 for Bluetooth, but the Intel card I was going to upgrade to (an Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2200 (2x2 BGN) for WiDi) says it has Bluetooth. So am I paying Lenovo to activate a feature for me, or paying for the same thing twice? The rep I was talking to says I have to buy select the option for Bluetooh in the builder, but he is a sales drone after all. I guess what I really want to know, if I do not select the $40 dollar option from Lenovo, but do select the Intel Wireless card that allegedly supports Bluetooth, will I able to (out of the box or with some simplistic hacking) be able to use Bluetooth?

FYI... I have had "WiDi" on my (1143)tpEdge520 for long whileand BT is STD there > so NOPE I ddint FALL FOR LENOVO's SILLNESS - by still 'adding yet ANOTHER SEPERATE CARD for BT............working fine for me for ages > @Home my teenagers love its 'easy connect' for games etc

Not sure what the T430 got as hardware - havent seen one yet > but am wth === the new shiny W530====havent had time to PLAY yet

FYI... I have had "WiDi" on my (1143)tpEdge520 for long whileand BT is STD there > so NOPE I ddint FALL FOR LENOVO's SILLNESS - by still 'adding yet ANOTHER SEPERATE CARD for BT............working fine for me for ages

Wow, glad I saw this. I would never have thought of a thing such as "WiDi".

Of course, Lenovo is the type of company that charges $1,120 for an upgrade to 32GB of memory. What's funny is that I could easily get 2 16GB (2x4GB) kits for $150 each..

Thanks for the input, I think ill order tomorrow, @Thinkrob I see you build customs, do you have any experience with Intel wifi / Bt chips?

I don't have any experience with Intel's all-in-one chipsets, no. Most of the ThinkPads that I've outfitted with BT have been older (T4x/X4x and T6x/X6x) models for which BT is a done by a separate module.

_________________Need help with Linux or FreeBSD? Catch me on IRC: I'm ThinkRob on FreeNode and EFnet.

So am I paying Lenovo to activate a feature for me, or paying for the same thing twice?

No, you don't pay twice for the same thing and neither do you pay for mere activation. Bluetooth v. 3.0 and Bluetooth v4.0 rely on Wireless LAN (802.11) for data transmission. In these protocols, the Bluetooth link is merely used for negotiation and establishment, but Wireless LAN is used for data traffic. When Intel writes that the Centrino Wireless-N 2200 has Bluetooth 4, they mean that it will work with the Bluetooth 4 protocol and thus be able to collaborate with Bluetooth v4.0 hardware. To use Bluetooth, you'll still need the Bluetooth hardware option, which Lenovo offers for $30.

This table confirms that the Centrino Wireless-N 2200 doesn't have a complete Bluetooth hardware implementation of its own - you might have to click "view more" at the bottom of the table to make the page display the Wireless-N 2200 card:http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ ... ducts.html

my Edge = DOES NOT HAVE BT 4.0 ( still in 2.0 offically) via Lenovos'std' wifi cardbut it does connect @ 450mps and able to stream (via WiDi) all 1080p BLUERAYs ( only mod was the blueray player added to laptop myself - like lots of other pple have).Also while doing 'video streaming' that same laptop is being used for "internet sharing" via windows 'share' feature ,,,,,,,(while also connected via HDMI to EXTERNAL DISPLAY 1) and its only a lowest i3 intel proc but is loaded with 16GB x1333 RAMS !

As previous (userTTY) pointed to the INTELS LINK - still puzzles me why LENOVO would still use 'double' the hardware needed for BT &WIFI/WiDi - yet also again have seperate Gobi slot (Gobi I accept needs to be extra add on but the ANT - already there with just SIM needed) SO why NOT give pple '6300 series card and make it 'universal' and make everyone happy.But NO - lenovo even mods the BIOS and BLACK-LISTS 6300 series even on models that have 3 x 3 already set up ! _pppfffff ,, jsut to sell a BT for $30!!!

my Edge = DOES NOT HAVE BT 4.0 ( still in 2.0 offically) via Lenovos'std' wifi cardbut it does connect @ 450mps and able to stream (voa WiDi) all 1080p BLUERAYs ( only bod was the blueray player added to laptop myself - like lots of other pple have) etc..Also while doing 'video streaming' that same laptop is being used to " internet sharing" via windows 'share' feature ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and its only a lowest i2 proc ! (while also connected via HDMI to EXTERNAL DISPLAY 1)

As previous (TTY) user pointed to the INTELS LINK - still puzzles me why LENOVO would use 'double' the hardware needed for BT and WIFI/WiDi and yet also again have seperate Gobi slot (Gobi I accept needs to be add on) SO why NOT give pple '6300 series card and make it 'universal' and make everyone happy.But NO - lenovo even mods the BIOS and BLACK-LISTS 6300 series even on models that have 3 x 3 already set up ! _pppfffff ,, jsut to sell a BT for $30!!!

Sorry , for my RANT! but hope its helpfull to someone !

Cheers

Um, sorry, but you're not making sense. WiDi stands for Wireless Display; are you connected to a display / TV wirelessly? But either way, the usage you described - video streaming, internet sharing - does not involve Bluetooth at all, instead they all use WiFi. So what exactly are you using Bluetooth for?

@brad = mate - you can get any BT adaptor(dongle) cheaper - even in Canada ( I saw one in London ON -best buy -$1.99 'bargin bin' .... and I grabbed it ! Now its works nicely via USB3.0 slot of my new laptop(s) and BT4.0 to boot! -- So there are cheaper solutuons out there >

point of the FIRST POST was - WHY LENOVO is ripping pple off by 'charging twice' -1st $30 for BT (seems high) 2nd -why do DOUBLE HARDWARE since most intel wifi chips already have that built-in!